Fountain pen



Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f FOUNTAIN PEN l .Albert E. Dietz, washington, n. c. Application `May 6, 1944, Serial No. 534,435

This invention relates to animproved fountain pen.

An object ofthe invention is to provide a pen embodying a barrel in which a conventional copying pencil may be installed, after which water or other suitable solvent may be drawn into `the barrel to dissolve the lead of the pencil and provide a writing fluid.

And the invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide a pen wherein, as the'leadp'encil is inserted into the barrel, the pencill will be split longitudinally, after which it will Abe held open to expose thelead for a considerableportion or the length of the pencil 'to accessby the solvent so thatan effective writing 'uid may be provided. l

Other and incidental objects .will appear `during the course of the 'followingdescription of .the invention, and in the drawing:

Figure l is a plan view 'of my improved .fountain pen, showing a lead pencil installed therein.

Figure 2 .is `a longitudinal section through the pen, the cap being removed.

Figure .3 is 'a longitudinal section showing the .pen before the pencil is installed therein, the vcap being removed.

Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-'4 f Figure 2.

Figure '5 is a transverse section on the line 5---5 of Figure 2. l

Figure 6 isa transverse section on the line GAB of Figure 2.

In carrying the invention into effect, I preferably form the pen barrel, indicated as a vwhole at I0, of three complemental sections comprising va .35

forward end sleeve Il, a lrear end sleeve I2, and an Vintermediate connecting sleeve I3 removably but firmly gripped Aat its ends about the `inner ends of the end sleeves. Suitablyxed at its ends `within the inner ends of the sleeves II and I2to 40 rubber and is more or less highly elastic sothat .45

it may be stretched to permit elongation 4of the barrel. j

Removably fitting in the sleeve I I 'isa feed plug I5 which may be of any conventional construction, and removably gripped between the plugand sleeve is a pen point I6 which, likewise, may be of -any conventional construotionadapted to function in conjunction with the plug, the D lugbeing channeled, as is usual,-for feeding -a writing-fluid relled by drawing a fluid inwardly through .the feed channel of the .plug into the barrel Il).A Detachably engaged over the sleeve II to enclose the pen point isa cap 'I'I which is removed while thepen is in use. This kcap may be screwed onto the sleeve, Vas shown, or,'if preferred, may have a slip, friction t thereon. y

vl'ilmbedded at its periphery in the material of the sleeve II or otherwise rigidly mounted in said vsleeve is a reticulate, preferably dished stop wall I8, and rising from said wall near the peripheri7 thereof, as best seen in yFigure lel, is a wedge i9. Aligned with said wedge is a splitting 'blade 20 ernbedded in the wall ofthesleeve l2 or otherwise iixed thereto "to extend longitudinally of said sleeve. Aswill be observed, the blade is tapered to provide a cutting vedge curving from the tip at theouter end of the blade downwardly and inwardly toward the axis of thesleeve, and formed on the wall Vof said sleeve to lie in the rear of the blade tip'is anannular'centering boss 2 I. Removably butrrnly gripped over the outer end `of the sleeve I2 is a rubber closure ring 22 which is highly elastic and is provided with a center opening 22.

Removably fixed on the sleeve I 2 is a clamp 23 whichjis of resilient metal, and extending from the stem of said clamp, medially of said stem, is a pair of arcuate spring fingers 2liV gripping about V the sleeve for firmly holding the clamp 4against Isliding movement therealong. At its inner end portion, the clamp stem-provides a spring clip 25 for securingv the pen in a pocket of the user, as will be Well understood, and formed at the outer end of the stem is a (flattened head 2B which may I lbe grasped between the thumb and nger for withdrawing the pen from the pocket. Extending from the `head 26 is a pair of arcuate spring jaws 21 provided at their inner edges, as best seen in Figure 6, `with radially converging, inclined teeth 28.

In 4conjunction with the barrel I0, I have shown a conventional lead pencil 2l having a center lead v30 'surrounded by -a shell 13| of Wood, and for the purposes `of the present invention, a lead pencil of these-called indelible or copying type is einployed Vin preference to a Vpencil embodying a conventional graphite lead. The term lead pencil as `used in the appended claims shall accordingly be construed Yto refer to a pencil the lead ofwhich is more or less readily soluble. The pencil `is installed-by inserting it between the jaws'2'I of the clamp 23 and through the center 'openingZ-Z" of the closure v-ring `22 into the sleeve to the pen point and permitting the upen -Vt-obe I2 and through the boss 2|, when the pencil is a major effective width approximating the thickness of the wooden shell 3| of the pencil. The

mounted in the barrel for splitting the shell of the pencil and exposing the lead thereof as the barrel is elongated, and a pen point carried by the barrel.

2. A fountain pen including an extensible barrel formed to receive a lead pencil having a wooden shell, the barrel being adapted to be elongated relative to the pencil for drawing into the barrel a solvent adapted to dissolve the lead ofthe pencil and provide a writing fluid, means mounted in the barrel for splitting the shell of VVthe pencil and exposing the lead thereof as the shell of the pencil will thus be split longitudinally I at the adjacent side of the pencil by the blade so that, as the pencil seats against the'stop wall` I8, the wedge I9 will enter said splitatY the for-V ward end of the pencil for holding the split open :from the wedge to the blade and thus exposing the lead 30 for the major portion of thev length of the pencil.

After .the lead pencil 29 .is installedtheforward end of the pen is immersed in water or other suitable solvent when, by holdingA the sleeve I I stationary by one hand of the operator and pulling on the sleeve I2 with the other hand while also holding the pencil 29l stationary, -thesleeve I3 and spring I4 are stretched relative to the pencil tothe approximate position shown in Figure 2, for elongating the barrel II) and drawing the water or other solvent into the .barrel to partially immerse the pencil.` Incident to this operation, the shell of the pencil 29 will be further split longitudinally by the the blade 2U, as

previously described, or, if preferred, the shellV pen may be easily and conveniently loaded and when so loaded, the water or other solvent in the `barrel I0 will dissolve the lead V3l) of the pencil to provide a writing fluid which, while the pen is in use, will be fed to the pen point i6 for writing purposes. The rubber sleeve I3 of the spring I 4 will, of course, exert a moreor less constant tension tending to sink the teeth 28 of the jaws 21 of the clamp 23 into therwood of the pencil shell so that the barrel I0 will be prevented from accidental collapse. will also provide a skeleton core for the sleeve I3, which core, as compared with the sleeve, will be much more rigid than the sleeve and of a stiffness tending to maintain the sleeve straight Furthermore, said spring as well as maintain the cylindrical shape of the sleeve. Thus, when the pen is held in the hand, casual pressure on the sleeve I3 will not serve to bend or crush the sleeve suiiiciently to expel the writing fluid at the pen point. The same would be true when thepen is carried in the pocket and, of course, the closure ring 22 will, at all times, prevent leakage of the writing fluid at the rear end of the pen,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A fountain pen including an extensible barrel formed to receive a lead pencil having a wooden shell, the barrel being adapted to be elongated relative to the pencil for drawing into the barrel a solvent adapted to dissolve the vlead of the pencil and provide` a writing uid, means barrel is elongated, means mounted in the barrel and disposed to enter the split in said shell and hold said split open to afford access of said solvent to the lead of the pencil, and a pen point carried by the barrel.

3. A fountain pen including a barrel adapted to receive a lead pencil, a pen point carried by the barrel, the Vbarrel including elastic means which may be stretched to permit the barrel to be elongated relative to the pencil for drawing into the barrel a solvent adapted to dissolve the lead of the pencil and provide a writing fluid,u and means carried by the barrel to engage the pencil for holding the barrel elongated against the tension of said elastic means when stretched.

4. A fountain pen including an extensible barrel formed to receive a lead pencil and adapted to be elongated relative to the pencil for drawing into the barrel a 'solvent adapted to dissolve the lead ofV thepencil and provide a writing fluid, resilient means tending to shorten the barrel when elongated, means carried by the barrel to engage the pencil for holding the barrel elongated against the tension of said iirst mentioned means, and a pen point carried by the barrel.

5. A fountain pen including a barrel formed to receive a lead pencil and embodying an elastic sleeve which may be stretched to permit the barrel to be elongated relative tothe pencil for drawing into the barrel a solvent adapted to dissolve the lead of the pencil and provide a writing fluid, a flexible -core within said sleeve adapted to resist bending and crushing thereof, means carried by the barrel to engage the pencil for holding the barrel elongated against the tension of said sleeve when stretched, and a pen point carried by the barrel.

c. A fountain pen including a barrel formed to receive a lead pencil and embodying an elastic sleeve which may be stretched to permit the barrel to be elongated relative to the pencil for drawing into the barrel a solvent adapted to dissolve the lead of the pencil and provide a Writing iiuid, a, coil spring extending within the sleeve and adapted to stretch when the barrel is elongated as well as tend to shorten the barrel when so elongated, said spring providing a flexible core within the sleeve adapted to resist bending and crushing thereof, means carried by the barrel to engage the pencil for holding the barrel elongated against the tension of said sleeve and spring when stretched, and a pen point carried by the barrel.

7. A fountain pen including an extensible barrel formed to receive a lead pencil in a position having Vone end portion thereof exposed at one end of the barrel, the barrel being adapted to be elongated relative to thepencil for drawing into the barrel a solvent adapted to dissolve the lead of the pencil and provide a writing fluid, means tending to shorten the barrel when elongated, a clamp Vcarried bythe barrel to engage the exf posed end portion of the pencil for holding the barrel elongated against the tension of said means, and a pen point carried by the barrel.

8. A fountain pen including an extensible barrel formed to receive a lead pencil having a, Wooden shell, the barrel being adapted to be elongated relative to the pencil for drawing into the barrel a solvent adapted to dissolve the lead of the pencil and provide a writing fluid, a blade mounted in the barrel for splitting the shell of the pencil and exposing the lead thereof as the barrel is elongated, and a pen point carried by the barrel.

9. A fountain pen including an extensible barrel formed to receive a lead pencil having a Wooden shell, the barrel being adapted to be elongated relative to the pencil for drawing into the barrel a solvent adapted to dissolve the lead of the pencil and provide a writing fluid, a blade mounted in the barrel for splitting the shell of the pencil and exposing the lead thereof as the barrel is elongated, a wedge mounted in the barrel and disposed to enter the split in said shell and hold said split open to afford access of said solvent toY the lead of the pencil, and a pen point carried by the barrel.

10. A fountain pen including a barrel adapted to be elongated, means tending to shorten the barrel When elongated, the barrel being formed to receive a lead pencil operatively coacting with the barrel for maintaining the barrel elongated against the action of said means and being adapted to contain a solvent for dissolving the lead of the pencil and providing a Writing uid, and a pen point carried by the barrel.

l1. A fountain pen including a barrel formed to receive a lead pencil having a Wooden shell, means carried by the barrel for splitting the shell of the pencil and exposing the lead thereof, the barrel being adapted to contain a solvent for dissolving the lead of the pencil and providing a writing fluid, and a pen point carried by the barrel.

ALBERT E. DIETZ. 

